The Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has called for continued collaboration between the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the State governments in the Niger Delta region.
Uzodimma, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Chinyere Ekomaru, made the call during the Youth and Women Day celebration in Owerri, Imo State, as part of activities marking the 25th anniversary of the NDDC.
He commended the collaboration between the NDDC and stakeholders, including youth and women, in the Niger Delta.
The Governor said: “We urge the NDDC to continue in this trajectory. We thank the Board and Management of the Commission for its various youth empowerment programmes.”
He urged the NDDC to give priority to the development of the young ones, stating: “Imo State will continue to partner with you and give support where necessary to ensure that we meet the mandate of President Bola Tinubu. We call for more collaboration in the area of flood control and other infrastructural development.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, assured that the Commission would continue to promote youth and women empowerment programmes.
“We thank our stakeholders for their support and encouragement, which has boosted our desire to ensure that we give them what they deserve. We also appreciate the support and partnership of the state governments in several areas,” he said.
The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to the mandate given to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.
Ogbuku announced that the Commission would organise a retreat and agricultural summit for the Niger Delta region, in line with the President Tinubu administration’s agrarian programme.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region.
He assured: “The NDDC will align with the President’s vision for agriculture, ensuring that we utilise agriculture as a platform for peace and security in the Niger Delta region. We aim to promote agriculture by partnering with all state governments in the area.
“We will convene a mini-agricultural retreat for state governments and commissioners of agriculture. Every state in the region has their various areas of strength in agriculture. We aim to establish a regional integration for agriculture.”
The NDDC boss said the Commission had galvanised the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture, NDCCITMA, by releasing N5 billion counterpart fund for the development of young entrepreneurs.
Ogbuku restated the Commission’s commitment to empowering the region’s people through economic programmes. He highlighted the NDCCITMA’s role in training youths, supporting SMEs, and designing industry-friendly skill development programmes.
Ogbuku said the NDDC was supporting the NDCCITMA to drive economic growth and development in the Niger Delta region by providing financial support, training, and networking opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.
According to him, “The current NDDC Board and Management choose to look at sustainable options in designing youth programmes. In the past, we undertook numerous initiatives to support entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta; however, these activities were not adequately documented or supported with verifiable data.”
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to the progress of the Niger Delta through the Renewed Hope Agenda.
A keynote speaker, Dr (Mrs) Chinyere Uchenna Ordu, stressed the need to treat women specially, noting: “Gender equality is not a favour for women, it is a strategy for development.”
Ordu, who spoke on Directing Gender Issues Towards Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in the Niger Delta, emphasised the importance of empowering the youth and women of the Niger Delta Region with essential skills, entrepreneurial knowledge, and job creation opportunities
